In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Our thanksgiving has a deeper and more profound meaning; it is a daily practice that deepens our faith and enriches our relationship with God. Our thanksgiving to God is a practice that will strengthen us in seasons of sorrow and pain. That is why it is supposed to be a daily practice. When we face difficult circumstances, we will always have a heart that surrenders to Jesus and draws our strength from Him.

Giving thanks should not be limited to a single day, but should be a daily practice that centers our mind on God’s blessings. Giving thanks to God glorifies Him and focuses our gaze on His goodness. There are so many verses in the Bible that talk about giving God thanks in all circumstances, because God is so great that even amid chaos there is always something to be thankful for. If we look closely at our lives, our children, our jobs, where God has pulled us from, or what we have survived, we will always find something to be grateful for.

Nothing brightens life like a spirit of thanksgiving, especially saying “thank you” to God for every blessing. It gives us a whole new outlook on each day. We should always be abounding in thanksgiving, because God has already given us a reason to be grateful. We can always look back at what He has blessed us with, and that alone is reason enough to thank Him. If we can’t find anything to give thanks for, we can thank Him for who He is. His intentions are pure and good always.

The Word of God is filled with many reasons why we must praise God. We can give thanks to God for His unfailing love, His grace, His victory through our Lord Jesus, and His saving and redemptive power. Our thanksgiving does many good things: it gives credit where credit is due; it keeps us from bitterness, arrogance, and discouragement; it keeps us humble and reminds us that we need God every single day.

Philippians 2:5 says that your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. As Christians we are called beyond simple thanks for the good things God has sent our way. We are to trust that even when nothing is going right, there is a bigger purpose behind the circumstances, even when we don’t understand what God is doing.

In conclusion, being thankful brings God onto the scene, puts challenges in perspective, and allows us to combat negative spiritual forces against us, focusing our minds on God and strengthening our faith in Him.

By Onismo Goronga, Bible League International staff, Zimbabwe